Napkin package



P. H. HORWITT 1,794,380

NAPKIN PACKAGE Filed Jan. 24, 1929 IN V EN T08.

A TTORN E YS.

Patented Mar. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL H. HORWITT, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MENASHA PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN NAPKIN PACKAGE Application filed January 24, 1929. Serial No. 334,828.

This invention relates to napkin packages especially adapted for the sale and dispensing of paper napkins. It has particular reference to a napkin package suitable for sale in retail stores to customers who desire .to use the napkins on picnics or the like. One object of @the invention is to provide a napkin package which will protect the napkins against dirt or injury up to the desired time of use. A furo ther object is to provide a napkin package which can readily be opened by the user and which when opened will retain the napkins while presenting them. in readily accessible position where they may be removed one at a time as desired. The manner in which these and other objects of the invention are attained will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a napkin 2o folded in the preferred manner employed in my improved package;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a complete napkin package;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a napkin package after it has been opened to permit access to the napkins; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrams showing the preferred method of folding the napkins.

The manner in which the napkins are preferably folded for incorporation into my improved package is that shown and described in my prior application for patent Serial No. 299,360, filed August 13, 1928. According to that method, the napkin sheets 10 are first folded on a line 11. The double sheet 12 thus produced is similarly folded bookwise on a line 13 to form a four-ply sheet 14 having folded edges at 15, the free corners bounded by the edges 15 are then folded reversely on diagonal lines 16 to produce the folded napkin shown in Fig. 1. This napkin has oppositely disposed grasping tabs 17 which present edges 18 on opposite sides of the napkin by which the napkin can be grasped for removal from a stack whichever side of it is outermost,

According to my present invention, a stack of napkins, preferably folded as described above and placed with their edges 16 slanting 50 alternately in opposite directions (Fig. 3) are enclosed Within a box 20. This box is preferably of cardboard, and may be folded and closed by flaps in any usual or desired manner. Within the boundary of one face of the box is formed a cut 21, an L-shaped perforated or weakened line 22, and acreased line 23. When the packageis sold, and until it is to be used, the flap 2'4 bounded by these lines is to all intents an integral part of the front wall of the package, so that the'napkins are effectively protected againstsoiling or injury. When it is desired to use the napkins,

the flap 24 either is completely removed or,

if all the napkins are not to be removed at one time, is freed for swinging movement on the line 23 by tearing along the creased or weakened lines22. The out line 21 is preferably angular in form so as to present a triangular tab 25 which can be pressed in with the finger to give access to the back side of the flap 24 and permit its complete or partial separation from the front wall of the package. The effect of complete separation of the flap 24 is show in full lines in Fig. 3, and the effect of partial separation by dotted lines, from which it appears that the flap may be swung like a door about the line 23.

When the flap 24 is removed or swung open, a major portion of the width of one edge 18 of the foremost napkin is presented in position to be grasped by the user. The napkin is,

however, retained in position within the package by the side flanges 26 until it is positively drawn out. If all of the napkins are to be used at once,the flap 24 may be completely removed; but if only a few are to be withdrawn, the flap is left hinged upon the line 23 and is returned to its original position after the desired number of napkins have been taken.

What I claim is:

1. A. napkin package comprising a container, a plurality of napkins within the container each presenting a grasping edge, and a flap having its boundary formed completely within one face of the container, two sides of the boundary being formed by perforated lines, a third side being formed by a creased line adapted to serve as a hinge, and the fourth side being formed by an angular line completely out through the container wall along an angular line leaving a readily depressible tab permitting easy insertion of the finger back of the flap whereby to sever the flap from the container if all the napkins are to be dispensed at once or to free the flap for swinging movement about said third side if the napkins are to be singly dispensed.

2. A napkin package comprising a container, a plurality of paper units in said container each unit having a corner folded on a diagonal line to provide a grasping tab and form an extremity of said unit into the shape of a triangle having its apex at the free tip of said extremity, successive units being positioned in said container with the apices of their triangular portions at opposite sides of the container whereby to form an unobstructed V-shaped passage through the container, a fiap within one face of the container defined by weakened lines and a severed line so as to be separable from the face of the container to expose the grasping tabs of successive units, said severed line lying adjacent the apices of the triangular portions of said units and cut at an angle so as to present a tab over said V-shaped passage readily depressible into said passage to permit insertion of the finger to move the flap from the plane of the face of said container.

3. A napkin package comprising a container, a plurality of napkins in said container, each napkin having an upper corner folded on a diagonal line to provide a grasping tab and form the upper extremity of said napkin into the shape of a triangle having its apex at the top of said extremity, successive napkins being positioned in said container with the apices of their triangular portions at opposite sides of the container whereby to form an 1 unobstructed V-shaped passage through the container, a flap within one face of the container defined by weakened lines and a severed line so as to be separable from the container to expose the grasping tabs of successive napkins, said severed line defining the upper boundary of said flap and cut at an angle so as to present a tab over the V-shaped passage in said container which is readily depressible into said passage to permit insertion of the finger to'move the flap from the plane of the face of said container.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

PAUL H. HORW'ITT. 

